Taking a car for its ITV (vehicle inspection) is a routine that practically all vehicle owners must undergo sooner or later during the lifespan of their car or motorcycle. At ITVs, different aspects are evaluated to assess the real condition of a vehicle, in accordance with parameters set by European regulations, and the sticker that guarantees successful completion of this test is homologable across the 27 EU member states.The last major modification to ITV regulations was in 2014, despite the fact that the automotive world has changed considerably in the last twelve years. In this regard, the Council of the European Union is working this week to approve a package of modifications to the technical section that regulates pollutant gas emissions, noise pollution levels, the condition of safety and driving assistance systems (ADAS), and the condition of electric vehicle batteries, among others.Regarding the new system for measuring and detecting pollutant emissions, it is worth noting that the new protocol foresees more sensitive methods for detecting nitrogen oxide (NOx) levels and particles emitted by the exhaust pipe, and will allow for a more accurate assessment of the condition of the particle filter and the pollutant gas elimination systems of modern combustion cars, both diesel and gasoline. The new text also includes an optional remote sensing test that will allow for remote measurement of particle, gas, and sound emissions from the vehicle while it is in operation on public roads. However, this remote sensing possibility is still subject to the verdict of the EU Transport Commission.The rest of the novelties that the Council of the EU text wishes to include affect the revision of ADAS or assistance systems, formed by the set of sensors, radars, and cameras that modern cars have, but also by driving assistance systems such as lane keeping assist, recognition of involuntary lane change alerts, or cruise control, among others. Finally, the new protocol also aims to regulate the method for reviewing the condition of lithium batteries in electric, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid vehicles, to ensure their good condition and the safety of occupants and other road users.A new European visa

The text proposed by the Council of the EU includes for the first time the possibility of carrying out the ITV inspection in a EU country different from the country of origin. In a system where tests are homologated among all states, it makes sense that homologation certificates can be issued in countries other than the vehicle's country of origin, albeit with a temporary duration of six months, before the vehicle must undergo the definitive inspection at a station in its country of origin. The other front that the text proposal, which will be approved this week, seeks to regulate is the manipulation of odometers, through the creation of a database where workshops must record the kilometers traveled in each inspection to minimize the possibilities of fraud.Finally, it is worth noting that the modifications proposed by the Council of the European Union do not affect the periodicity of the inspection schedule, which will maintain the current intervals: four years for the first inspection from the registration of a new car or motorcycle, every two years from the fourth year, and in the case of cars, annually from ten years of the vehicle's age.  

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Catalonia is an increasingly aging country. According to Idescat data, as of 2026, 20% of the Catalan population is over 65 years old, a figure that is surprising when compared to the 14% of the total that represents the school-age population. Catalans are living longer and better, as is also happening in the rest of Spain and Mediterranean countries, such as Greece, Italy, or Croatia, among others. In this regard, Idescat's projections for the year 2070 are devastating: if we continue with the current trend, Catalonia will reach the final stretch of the century with a population of about 9 million people, a third of whom will be over 65 years old.Aging and super-aging (i.e., the rate of people over 80 years old in a society) will modify the uses and services of Catalan society, with a logical increase in social and health services and medication expenses. Living longer and in better physical shape will also raise the average age of drivers on Catalan roads. Currently, there is no age limit to get behind the wheel, as current regulations establish that the physical condition and cognitive abilities of drivers are the determining factors for whether a person is fit to continue driving.Until this 2026, the DGT used to renew driving licenses for 10 years for people turning 65, but with the modification of the regulations that came into effect this year, people born between 1956 and 1961 who renew their driving license will have the validity of licenses AM, A1, A2, A, and B limited to a duration of 5 years, while those who renew professional driving licenses C, C1, D, D1, EC, ED, or ED1 will have their renewal limited to only 3 years of validity. With this reform, the DGT aims to detect timely processes of auditory or visual deterioration, as well as reflexes and cognitive capacity. At this point, it is worth remembering that most medical studies suggest that between 65 and 75 years old, there is an accelerated aging process that can lead to modifications in visual or auditory acuity within a few years, which justifies the regulatory reform promoted by the DGT.As for those over 70 years old, the regulations exempt them from paying renewal fees for their driving license, but they will have to pay the cost of the mandatory medical examination, which must determine if a person is capable of continuing to drive, regardless of their age. It is worth remembering that from the age of 70, the validity of the driving license is only 2 years, to ensure proper monitoring of the physical and cognitive abilities of people who wish to renew their license. 

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The number of deaths from being run over on Spanish roads during Easter has been the highest in the last ten years, despite the entry into force of the mandatory V-16 luminous signaling system. In fact, the obligation to acquire this luminous warning system for emergencies or breakdowns connected to the DGT, which shows the location of cars with incidents in real time, was based on a supposed improvement in safety for vehicle occupants in these situations, but the first major travel campaign of the year, coinciding with the Easter holidays, has demonstrated the ineffectiveness of this system in combating being run over and associated mortality.From AUGC (Unified Association of the Civil Guard), the majority association of agents of la Benemérita, they point directly to the ineffectiveness of these devices and state that "false expectations" had been created around the implementation of the luminous and geolocated V-16 signal. Carlos Cantero, head of the traffic area of this association of civil guards, assures that the death data reveal that this system has proven to be "ineffective" in reducing the mortality figures due to being run over. It is still relevant that this luminous warning system was patented by two former Civil Guard officers and that a business of more than 1,200 million euros was generated. For this reason, Facua denounced the DGT for promoting a massive fraud with the obligation of this device. To conclude, the head of traffic of the AUGC denounces that the DGT “has not listened to the opinion of the agents who are on the street” and that “prevention must be improved” to reduce the unacceptable increase in mortality associated with the new V-16 device.

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Putting snow chains on our vehicle is one of the most feared and respected tasks for Catalan drivers. However, knowing how to put them on correctly is absolutely essential if we want to drive safely in the country during the summer months. coldest months of winter, when sub-zero temperatures are frequent on thermometers across much of the country.

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Families with three or more children are increasingly rare in Catalan society. According to figures from Idescat, only 5% of Catalan families (single-parent or two-parent) have three or more children, a trend that is steadily declining and shows no signs of slowing down, especially considering that this year Catalonia broke its record for lowest birth rate, with a rate of just 1.08 children per woman. This is not unique to Catalonia, as the Spanish and European trends are moving in the same direction as in Catalan society, with families overwhelmingly consisting of one or two children and the age of first-time motherhood rising.

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Just a few days ago, a listener of the program The world on RAC1 turned on the alarm lights during an interview with the deputy director of the DGTAna Blanco warned that the use of the new V-16 beacons could seriously affect the health of people with heart problems who use a pacemaker or defibrillator.

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The mandatory implementation of the V-16 lighting system is shaping up to be one of the biggest blunders by the DGT (Spanish Directorate General of Traffic) and the Ministry of the Interior in recent years. After accumulatingcriticism from consumer associationsIn addition to concerns from emergency personnel and other groups about the new mandatory lighting system in case of accident or breakdown, there is now a new announcement from the DGT (Spanish Directorate General of Traffic) that it is withdrawing official approval from four models of connected V-16 beacons that until recently appeared on all official lists.

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Former Galician Civil Guard officers Jorge Torre and Jorge Juan Costas are the creators of the controversial V-16 emergency light, a safety system that will replace the current emergency triangles and will be mandatory from January 1st. Both men left the Civil Guard to pursue various business ventures, including the creation of an emergency light that mimics the lights of police or ambulance vehicles. The goal was for it to be stored in the car's glove compartment, eliminating the need to leave the vehicle in case of a breakdown and reducing the danger of having to walk along the shoulder of the road when emergency triangles are deployed.

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The introduction of the new V-16 traffic lights on January 1, 2026 has generated great unease and concern among Spanish buyers, the first in the world who will have to use this new signaling and location system on an experimental basis.

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The mandatory use of the new V-16 emergency beacon, approved by the DGT (Spanish Directorate General of Traffic), starting January 1st, has raised more questions than answers among drivers. The fact that it is an unfamiliar system, never before implemented in any European country, the existence of other similar but not properly approved emergency lights, and the implementation schedule, which does not include any transition period, have generated confusion and discontent among Spanish drivers. The DGT's aim with this new system is to increase driver safety in the event of an accident or traffic incident. The V-16 emergency beacon will replace the current warning triangles using a new automatic connection system that alerts the competent authority of its exact location via a digital platform called DGT 3.0 using a SIM card. The rationale for this new system is to avoid requiring drivers to leave their vehicles when they are immobilized due to a breakdown, for example, and to reduce the risk of pedestrian accidents. The lamp should be stored—and fully charged—in the car's glove compartment so it can be accessed without leaving the vehicle. In case of a breakdown or accident, it should be switched on and placed on the roof of the vehicle.

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The annual report from the AEA (European Automobile Association) has identified the most dangerous stretches of road in Spain, based on data from the five-year period 2019-2023. These stretches are at least ten times higher than the average danger index (IPM). According to the report, the human factor remains crucial, but the state of infrastructure maintenance cannot be underestimated. The report also calls on government authorities to implement the necessary measures for the proper maintenance of the most dangerous sections of road.

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Mobile phone use while driving is one of the major areas for improvement on the Catalan road network. According to data from the Catalan Traffic Service (SCT), 22% of fatal road accidents were related to improper mobile phone use, consolidating mobile phone use as the second most common factor in accidents, surpassed only by traffic violations.

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This Thursday, October 1, 2025, several changes to the driving test came into effect. The Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) has decided to remodel and reformulate the theoretical section to raise its level of rigor, adapt it to new technologies, and assess the degree of perception and reaction speed of the examinees. From now on, candidates will encounter new tests in audiovisual format—videos of real traffic situations—and the definitive incorporation of the new traffic signs Approved just before summer. With these modifications, the DGT hopes to achieve improvements in the fight against road accidents and driving safety.

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During the last ten years there have been about 124,000 accidents involving vehicles and pedestrians in which more than 130,000 pedestrians have suffered injuries in Spain, according to the study by the Línea Directa Foundation and Fesvial entitled Walking safely: Pedestrian accidents and risks in Spain (2014-2023))17,000 of the affected pedestrians have had to be hospitalized, and 3,500 have died as a result of the accident, explains the report, based on data from the DGT (Directorate-General for Traffic), the National Institute of Toxicology, and responses to a survey of more than 1,700 pedestrians. This study also identifies the most dangerous street in Spain for pedestrians, where they are most at risk of being hit by a car. It is located in Barcelona: Gran Via, essential for mobility in the city center.

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Tesla is facing a new problem in the United States after the US safety agency (NHTSA) notified the brand of the opening of an investigation into serious defects affecting the rear door opening system of the Model Y, the best-selling car from Elon Musk's brand. The NHTSA's safety office has launched the investigation after receiving nine complaints from drivers who were unable to open the doors to remove children from the back seats, and who had to break the window to access the interior of the car and free them.

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Catalonia is, by far, the autonomous community where convictions for road safety offenses have increased the most in the last year. Furthermore, it remains the region with the highest total number of sentences, something that the deputy prosecutor for road safety in Barcelona, ​​Isabel López, describes as a "consolidated trend." This is confirmed by the annual report of the State Attorney General's Office, which indicates that more than 27,800 convictions for driving offenses were handed down in Catalonia last year, which represents almost a third (29%) of the 95,300 rulings made last year across the country. This also represents another 9,600 of the rulings made in our country in 2023.

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Every day, around 90 vehicles are stolen in Spain, according to data from the Crime Report 2024 Published by the Ministry of the Interior. This report also points to Catalonia as the Spanish territory with the highest number of vehicle thefts, with a total of 8,543 vehicle thefts throughout 2024, equivalent to an average of 23 stolen vehicles per day.

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This Tuesday, the Congress of Deputies approved the reform of the Automobile Insurance Law with 178 votes in favor, with a massive abstention from the PP (People's Party), and votes against from Vox and the UPN deputy. The reform of the law includes light personal vehicles—electric vehicles powered by one or more wheels—with a single seat and which can travel at a maximum speed of 25 km/h if they weigh less than 25 kilos or at a maximum speed of 14 km/h if they weigh more than 25 kilos.

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As every year, road trips increase in number, coinciding with the arrival of summer and the long-awaited holidays. It is estimated that there are more than 11 million pets in Spain, 85% of which are dogs and cats, and a significant proportion travel with their owners or families during leisure and recreational trips during the summer months.

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The Catalan Traffic Service (SCT) will have a new tool to monitor the speed of drivers on the Catalan road network thanks to the purchase of six new state-of-the-art trailer-mounted (i.e., portable) radars. The purchase of these new radars has been authorized by the Catalan government and represents an expenditure of €2,156,797.93, which will be divided into two contracts attributable to the years 2025 (€1,033,092.25) and 2026 (€1,123,705.68).

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